Balozi wa
Marekani, Alfonso Lenhardt alisema sababu ya kwanza ya Obama kuja
Tanzania ni kutokana na kuwa mfano wa utawala bora, demokrasia na
ushirikishaji wa watu wake wakati wa kufanya uamuzi unaogusa maisha yao
ya kila siku.
Alisema kuwa Tanzania ni nchi ya mfano linapokuja
suala la uongozi bora na ndiyo maana imekuwa na amani na utulivu kwa
muda mrefu ikilinganishwa na nchi nyingi za Kusini mwa Jangwa la Sahara.
“Nchi nyingi za Afrika zinazoizunguka Tanzania
zimekuwa na matatizo ya vita vya wenyewe na hata ukosefu wa utawala
bora,” alisema Balozi Lenhardt ingawa alidokeza kuwa katika siku za
karibuni imekuwa ikikabiliwa na changamoto mbalimbali kutokana na
matukio ya uvunjifu wa amani.
Balozi Lenhardt alisema sababu nyingine
inayomfanya Rais Obama kuja Tanzania ni kutokana na jitihada za Serikali
ya Marekani kutengeneza mazingira mazuri ya uwekezaji na kasi ya ukuaji
wa uchumi.
“Rais Obama anakuja kuunga mkono juhudi za
Watanzania katika kutengeneza mazuri ya uwekezaji lakini bila kusahau
kuwa kasi ya ukuaji wa uchumi wa Tanzania imeivutia Serikali ya
Marekani,” alisema.
Balozi Lenhardt alitaja sababu nyingine inayomleta
Rais Obama kuwa ni kuisaidia Tanzania kuendeleza fursa mbalimbali za
kujiletea maendeleo.
Alisema uendelezaji huo wa fursa una lengo la kuisaidia Serikali ya Tanzania kukabiliana na tatizo la umaskini.
Alisema Marekani ni moja ya nchi zinazoongoza kwa
kutoa fedha nyingi za misaada na akisema kwa mfano, mwaka 2012 pekee
ilitoa Dola 750 milioni.
Aidha, alisema nchi yake imekuwa ikitoa misaada
mingi kupitia Shirika la Millenium Challenge (MCC), ambayo imejikita
zaidi katika kusaidia sekta za umeme, maji na miundombinu.
Rais Obama atakuwa ni rais wa tatu wa Marekani kuja kuitembelea Tanzania watangulizi wake waliomtangulia ni pamoja na Bill Clinton na George Bush.
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US ambassadar Alfonso Lenhardt said Mr Obama chose to visit Tanzania and not other countries
in the region because it is a beacon of peace on the continent, an
important investment destination and a global champion in the fight
against poverty.
“The visit by President Obama is precisely to
support Tanzania in its development endeavours and to deepen the
bilateral cooperation between the great countries,” Mr Lenhardt said.
He said the US was supportive of China’s relations
with Tanzania if the purpose was legitimate and the focus was the
country’s development. “We are supportive of China’s relations with
Tanzania provided the purpose is legitimate. China does not pose a
problem one way or the other, but the issue should be how we help
Tanzania become a medium income country.”
Tanzania will be the last stop of Mr Obama’s
three-nation tour of Africa from June 26 to July 1. President Obama, who
will also visit Senegal and South Africa, will be accompanied by his
wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha.
Mr Lenhardt said the itinerary and exact agenda of
Mr Obama’s visit was not yet unclear, but added that he would meet
stakeholders from the private and public sectors as well as youth
representatives.
“We do not yet know exactly which specific agenda
the President has in those focus areas, but the general purpose of the
visit is to reinforce the bilateral cooperation between the two
countries.”
Taking stock of US-funded aid programmes in
Tanzania, the ambassador noted that his government supported projects
worth about $750 million (Sh 1.2 trillion) million last year, making it
one of the country’s biggest development partners. He said through the
United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and other
nine agencies, the US had invested in various sectors that touched on
the wellbeing of the majority Tanzanians by improving their health, food
security and democracy and leadership.
Mr Lenhardt said the funds given were a sign of
American people wanting to reach out to Tanzanians and improve their
lives, adding that there was no hidden agenda.
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